Featured Music Acts for the 2015 Schuylkill County Fair
Twitty Fever Band (Tuesday, July 28th)
The entertainment spotlight at the M&T Stage on Tuesday, July 28 evening will shine on the Twitty Fever Band sponsored by Red Lion Café. The Schuylkill County Fair is proud to bring The Twitty Fever Band back for a repeat performance on the stage as it is set for two performances that evening, first at 7 and then at 9PM. Catch the Fever as
Dave Rehrig pays tribute to Conway Twitty and his music. With Conway Twitty’s blessing, Rehrig formed the
Pennsylvania band. The show is a highly entertaining mix of top 40 and classic country hits, combined with comedy and a special onstage tribute to the country legend. Rehrig has devoted his energy into perfecting the late country star’s singing style, mannerisms and body language into one extraordinary polarized performance. His performance is fresh, new and excitingly effortless to enjoy and while watching or dancing. So close your eyes, sit back and you will swear it is Conway Twitty on the stage.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Jesse Wade Gang (Wednesday, July 29th)
Country Music outlaws, the Jesse Wade Gang will take the M&T Stage at 7 and 9PM Wednesday, July 29th. The pair of performances is sponsored by L & L Excavating, Inc. You will surely discover your country roots when Jesse hits the stage. The Jesse Wade Gang has been entertaining audiences for over 25 years. The popular band is described as a “hard-hitting, rock-in,’ country blues, tribute band.” The group consists of Jesse Wade (vocals, guitar), Joshua Bortlick (vocals, guitar), Pete Quaken (bass guitar), Danny M (drums), John Derk (keyboard), and Bryan Sheckler (sound engineer).
High-energy performances of Jesse Wade Gang span the music of country greats George Jones and
Patsy Cline to Travis Tritt and Jason Aldean. The band plays in a variety of venues across Pennsylvania, New
Jersey and Virginia but Jesse calls Schuylkill County home as he has recently moved to the area. So the Schuylkill County Fair is proud to say that Jesse Wade will bring his country roots home for this performance on Wednesday, July 29 at 7 and 9PM on the M&T Stage of the Schuylkill County Fair.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Country Music outlaws, the Jesse Wade Gang will take the M&T Stage at 7 and 9PM Wednesday, July 29th. The pair of performances is sponsored by L & L Excavating, Inc. You will surely discover your country roots when Jesse hits the stage. The Jesse Wade Gang has been entertaining audiences for over 25 years. The popular band is described as a “hard-hitting, rock-in,’ country blues, tribute band.” The group consists of Jesse Wade (vocals, guitar), Joshua Bortlick (vocals, guitar), Pete Quaken (bass guitar), Danny M (drums), John Derk (keyboard), and Bryan Sheckler (sound engineer).
High-energy performances of Jesse Wade Gang span the music of country greats George Jones and
Patsy Cline to Travis Tritt and Jason Aldean. The band plays in a variety of venues across Pennsylvania, New
Jersey and Virginia but Jesse calls Schuylkill County home as he has recently moved to the area. So the Schuylkill County Fair is proud to say that Jesse Wade will bring his country roots home for this performance on Wednesday, July 29 at 7 and 9PM on the M&T Stage of the Schuylkill County Fair.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sapphire (Thursday, July 30th)Attending a performance by Sapphire is like going back in time to the 1980′s. The band often feels the same way and you will too. Thursday evening July 30 you can see Sapphire perform live on the M&T Stage for two performances at 7 and 9PM. They are sponsored by comfort Inn Midway and Fiddler Brothers Construction. This is of course during the Schuylkill County Fair which runs July 27 through August 1.
“We play the same songs we’ve always played, since we were in high school, only now they’re classics,” says front lady vocalist Michelle Scribbick of Minersville. “Sometimes that just kills us!”
This popular local band is a reunion story, having come together in 1981, disbanded in 1986, then reunited in 2001.
“We find it cool that people keep telling us that not only have we played their prom or wedding, but now we are playing for their kid’s proms or weddings,” Scribbick said. “Which is freaky and cool. Yeah, freaky cool!”
The female front for this now-Classic rock band is smoking hot onstage. She exudes so much energy you can’t help but feel it. She’s not the only one, though. All six members are on fire up there.
The band members and their main positions are: Michelle-vocals, Eric-vocals/guitar, Stevo-guitar, John-bass/vocals, Mike “Squeak” Melusky-drums and Paul-keyboards Michelle, Steve and Paul (Zelinsky) are members of the original band which formed in the 1980′s, before everyone finished college and moved apart.
This is a professionally-produced, strictly-covers band that really has their act together. Well, with all those years, I suppose they should.
“With this much time together and three of the original six members, it’s smooth,” said Scribbick. “We get along really well. They’re my best friends.”
Favorites on the band’s play list include a good mix of 70′s and 80′s fare. Songs range from selections by Boston, Fleetwood Mac (and also Stevie Nicks), Foreigner, Journey, and REO Speedwagon, to Bob Seger, 38 Special, and Pink Floyd. Some Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar, or Lita Ford might be in there, or even Billy Idol, Grand Funk Railroad, Eddie Money, STYX, and AC/DC.
To sum it up, with three vocalists and all that music, the band can cover just about anyone, but one of the hallmarks of their shows so far is the female lead with all-male band. Michelle’s got a lovely voice, even on the telephone (might be helpful as she works for a major business school in the area and does most of the talking for this band offstage) and she knows how to use it.
She also knows how to let the rest of the band take the spotlight when they deserve it. Each member of the band is a musician in their own right, but together they meld like the old friends they are for a “true to original” sound, as their website says.
Another thing Sapphire fans have come to expect is the light show. While it does have to be tailored to the locale, the band does the lights in true 70’s/80′s fashion. Let’s not forget the soundman, Jeff Jefferson. He says, “Michelle and the guys crack me up all the time, I love that job!”
-------------------------------------------------------------
Chad Reinert (Friday, July 31st)
Nashville recording artist and Schuylkill County’s own Chad Reinert will be warming up the stage and the crowd starting at 7 PM on Friday, July 31st. Sponsored by Schaeffer’s Harley Davidson, our Country Day music entertainment is a lineup that you don’t want to miss!
Born in Maple Grove, as a teenager Chad moved to a farm in Auburn with his parents. He continues to reside next to the family farm with his wife and two children. Chad is blessed that his family is able to accompany him to all his performances, and they are sure to feel right at home at the Schuylkill County Fair!
Influenced by the musical stylings of Elvis, Marty Stuart, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and Alan Jackson, Chad recorded his first album, "I Know A Man Who Can", in 2013 in Nashville and had two songs from that album chart. The following year after recording his second Nashville album, he had the honor of being offered a song written for Elvis. The song was given to Felton Jarvis by his brother-in-law Don Frost. Elvis died before he could record it and the song was archived for 37 years until Don offered it to Chad to record.
Chad has since recorded 3 additional albums, has had appearances on shows that aired on Dish network, and has performed live with the legendary Ronnie McDowell. Chad returned several times to the stage with Ronnie McDowell and continues to perform with him whenever their tours cross.
Chad returned to Nashville in 2014 to record an album called "As Country As It Gets." The title song, which he wrote, topped the charts in 2015 at #8 nationwide. His current tour has included many theaters, carnivals and county fairs throughout Pennsylvania as well as numerous guest performances at the Nashville Night Life Theatre right in the heart of Music City, Nashville, Tennessee.
In the early spring of 2015, Chad completed yet another album called, "Keep’n it Country". This would be the fourth album he recorded at the studio he originated at, but this time, midway through the session, the owner offered to sell Chad the studio. This was an offer that he couldn't possibly refuse. Fulfilling his dream, in April of 2015, Chad became the proud owner of Toneslinger Studio at Music Valley Village, Nashville across from the Grand Old Opry! He not only performs, but now helps others to get their start in the music business by giving them guidance, and even as much as sitting in on their sessions playing lead guitar. “Keep’n it Country” currently sits at #24 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 True Country Album Chart.
The return of Elvis to the Schuylkill County Fair will high light a week of exceptional entertainment. Ryan Pelton
will be performing as the “Elvis Tribute Artist,” Saturday evening on the M & T Stage of the Schuylkill County Fair. Pelton will pay tribute to Elvis at 7 and 9PM on Saturday, August 1, 2015.
September of 1998 Ryan Pelton was dared by his mother to enter a local Elvis contest. Against all odds, Pelton
won the contest. His days as a website designer were soon to be over, as he wanted to pursue the entertainment field, saying “I don’t want to be ninety years old one day and look back saying, ‘What if?”
Over the next decade, Pelton honed his craft becoming an international, award-wining Elvis Tribute Artist. In 2001, Pelton won The World Wide Images of Elvis Contest in Memphis, becoming the youngest world champion ever at that time. He has performed all over the world, from casinos to fairs, theaters, to festivals, production shows to professional sports arenas. Entertaining audiences in the tens-of- thousands, there can be no doubt that Ryan Pelton is the rarest kind of performer – living up to his billing time and time again.
In 2011 Ryan decided it was time to take his career to the next level when he released his first original album,
“Wash Over Me.” Within a week after the release the album, Pelton was signed as a song writer by a well-known Nashville publishing company.
Shortly thereafter, Pelton was offered the lead role in a Hollywood film called “The Identical.” Ryan took on the
screen name of “Blake Rayne” for the film, which also starred Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, and Seth Green. The film which won the audience choice award for best film at the Nashville Film Festival, opened in the theaters on September 5, 2014. It is currently available on Netflix, as well as other digital media.
Ryan Pelton continues to tour as Elvis under his original name. His entertainment company is launching a new
show called “The Evolution” in 2015. Pelton also continues to pursue his acting career and original music career under the name “Blake Rayne.” The First Original Blake Rayne album will be out later in 2015.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Bucky Covington (Friday, July 31st)
Don’t miss Bucky Covington’s performance on the M&T stage Friday evening July 31 at 9PM. Bucky being the big name entertainment of the 2015 Schuylkill County Fair, sponsored by Schaeffer’s Harley-Davidson/Motor Sports, which runs July 27 through August 1. See him electrify the audience with his onetime only performance.
Bucky Covington is that most remarkable of entertainers—a man known and loved as much for his engaging personality as for his formidable talent. The talent has shone through multiple hit singles that helped push his debut album toward gold status, and will continue to shine with the release of his sophomore album GOOD GUYS on September 11, 2012, with first week sales’ proceeds going to “Help The Good Guys” and the International Association of Fire Fighters. His undeniable likeability and his ability to wear his stardom as comfortably as he wears his jeans are what makes Bucky unique. Both his likeability and talent come together on stage, where the long-haired North Carolinian with the rocker’s charisma and the country boy charm thrills old and new fans alike as he crisscrosses the country.
With his first album, Bucky earned a place in the forefront of a new generation of country singers. He became the best-selling debut artist of the class of 2007, with the best first-week sales and highest Top 200 debut for any male country artist in 15 years. He appeared on Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live and many others, became part of the Country Sings Disney project, and appeared in Hannah Montana: The Movie. Now, with his second, he leaves behind newcomer status and emerges as one of the true standouts in contemporary country music.
His sophomore project reflects the added depth and maturity Bucky brings to the table. Covington has been working very closely with an organization called “Help The Good Guys,” which provides immediate financial relief to injured or fallen firefighters and their families. His newest single from GOOD GUYS, “Drinking Side Of Country,” is a duet with Shooter Jennings, which Covington wrote and produced. GOOD GUYS will also feature several of Covington’s recent radio singles including “I Wanna Be The Feeling.”
“I’ve definitely grown in the past few years,” he says. “I’m a little wiser. I’m more tuned in to the world and what’s going on, and I’m growing as a person. As all of those things affect my life, they’re bound to affect my music.”
“Going into my second album,” he says, “I think it’s something I definitely understand and appreciate even more. You’ve got to pay heed to those who came before you.”
The CD’s debut single, “I Wanna Be That Feeling” represents Bucky at his finest, showcasing a singer bringing true passion to a lyric that offers up a real slice of life as well as the feeling of youthfulness that freedom and love conjures in us all.
Overall, it is a project that sees Bucky more than fulfill the promise of his first, a debut that earned him a generous supply of accolades and milestones.
Kicked off by “A Different World,” which established him out of the chute as a great stylist and launched him into the Top 5, Bucky Covington announced his arrival as a serious contender. Two follow-up Top Ten hits, “It’s Good To Be Us” and “I’ll Walk,” gave audiences a more in-depth view of the lanky troubadour, and made him one of just three male artists since 2005 to score three consecutive Top Ten hits from a debut album.
Bucky has been honing his highly identifiable sound since his earliest days growing up with his mother, stepfather and twin brother Rocky in Laurinburg, North Carolina. His tastes in country music ran to George Strait, Travis Tritt and Tim McGraw, and he began testing his own vocal skills with a karaoke machine early on.
Still, he lived a normal teenage life, spending time on his dirt bike and picking up experience in his father’s body shop. He got a guitar after an album by Canadian singer/guitarist Jeff Healey knocked him out and convinced him to give music a serious try.
He played with rock groups for three years, and then followed his passion into a band playing “Southern Rock, beach and country.” It was called Southern Country and it made him a honky-tonk hero in the area as he packed clubs every weekend.
Friends encouraged him to try Nashville, but when his sister-in-law told him about tryouts for American Idol, he took that route. His striking look and smoky vocals got him into the final 8 and earned him a spot on the Idol tour.
Managers and producers began calling him, but it was a call from Sawyer Brown front man Mark Miller that impressed him.
“A lot of them call you up and talk about the money,” he says. “Mark called me up and talked about music– what kind I wanted to make, what I wanted to do.”
The two have been in musical partnership since then, and after an amazing ride with now shuttered Lyric Street Records, Bucky has joined forces with Entertainment One. Surrounded by a great team and moving into this second album, he has been embraced fully by country fans.
“I did come off a big TV show,” he says, “and at that point you’re huge. You feel like you’re on top of the world. Then you come back to reality and you’re ‘that guy that used to be…’ After that it’s what you make of it, and after three top 10 hits over the past two-and-a-half years, it’s been amazing to be welcomed so big by country radio and the fans.”
These days his professional life is a combination of studio art and concert stage adventure, and the latter is something he relishes as he strives to perfect his craft in venues that range from crowded bars to festival grounds and big-city arenas.
“Some places are a party,” he says. “Some places watch you like a theater show. We work hard to bring our best to both. I have an amazing band. We’re very much high-energy and we talk about every show afterward, looking for the things we can do to make it better.”
His down-home believability, rock star charisma and impressive vocals make the chore more manageable. The rewards of the journey, of course, are major.
“It’s hard to key in on just one thing,” he says, asked to name a highlight of the past three years. “I sat down with Stevie Wonder as he played ‘Superstition’ and I got on stage with Queen. I’ve hung out with Rascal Flatts on the bus and gone dirt bike riding with Craig Morgan. There are so many others, and it’s cooler than I could ever say. Still, the accomplishments really involve the fans. When my album debuted at #1 or I’m nominated for an award, it’s them I have to thank. But the best thing may be when you’re playing a show and the fans sing your song louder than you. It’s hard to beat that.”
His growing maturity quickly takes such talk to another level.
“All of that gives you certain responsibilities,” he says. “There are kids out there that look up to you. Some kids look at performers like they’re Superman, and if you ever saw Superman smoking or drinking you might think that are cool, so that’s not something I need to promote. I do have to be more conscious in what I stand for when a little kid looks up to me. I had a cousin who really looked up to me when I was growing up and that helped me. These days, I look at every kid as my cousin.”
And he maintains that Everyman approachability.
“My fans are the greatest,” he says, “and I’m happy when they ask for a picture or autograph. I figure I owe them that much.”
Chad Reinert (Friday, July 31st)Nashville recording artist and Schuylkill County’s own Chad Reinert will be warming up the stage and the crowd starting at 7 PM on Friday, July 31st. Sponsored by Schaeffer’s Harley Davidson, our Country Day music entertainment is a lineup that you don’t want to miss!
Born in Maple Grove, as a teenager Chad moved to a farm in Auburn with his parents. He continues to reside next to the family farm with his wife and two children. Chad is blessed that his family is able to accompany him to all his performances, and they are sure to feel right at home at the Schuylkill County Fair!
Influenced by the musical stylings of Elvis, Marty Stuart, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and Alan Jackson, Chad recorded his first album, "I Know A Man Who Can", in 2013 in Nashville and had two songs from that album chart. The following year after recording his second Nashville album, he had the honor of being offered a song written for Elvis. The song was given to Felton Jarvis by his brother-in-law Don Frost. Elvis died before he could record it and the song was archived for 37 years until Don offered it to Chad to record.
Chad has since recorded 3 additional albums, has had appearances on shows that aired on Dish network, and has performed live with the legendary Ronnie McDowell. Chad returned several times to the stage with Ronnie McDowell and continues to perform with him whenever their tours cross.
Chad returned to Nashville in 2014 to record an album called "As Country As It Gets." The title song, which he wrote, topped the charts in 2015 at #8 nationwide. His current tour has included many theaters, carnivals and county fairs throughout Pennsylvania as well as numerous guest performances at the Nashville Night Life Theatre right in the heart of Music City, Nashville, Tennessee.
In the early spring of 2015, Chad completed yet another album called, "Keep’n it Country". This would be the fourth album he recorded at the studio he originated at, but this time, midway through the session, the owner offered to sell Chad the studio. This was an offer that he couldn't possibly refuse. Fulfilling his dream, in April of 2015, Chad became the proud owner of Toneslinger Studio at Music Valley Village, Nashville across from the Grand Old Opry! He not only performs, but now helps others to get their start in the music business by giving them guidance, and even as much as sitting in on their sessions playing lead guitar. “Keep’n it Country” currently sits at #24 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 True Country Album Chart.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan Pelton, Elvis Tribute Artist
will be performing as the “Elvis Tribute Artist,” Saturday evening on the M & T Stage of the Schuylkill County Fair. Pelton will pay tribute to Elvis at 7 and 9PM on Saturday, August 1, 2015.
September of 1998 Ryan Pelton was dared by his mother to enter a local Elvis contest. Against all odds, Pelton
won the contest. His days as a website designer were soon to be over, as he wanted to pursue the entertainment field, saying “I don’t want to be ninety years old one day and look back saying, ‘What if?”
Over the next decade, Pelton honed his craft becoming an international, award-wining Elvis Tribute Artist. In 2001, Pelton won The World Wide Images of Elvis Contest in Memphis, becoming the youngest world champion ever at that time. He has performed all over the world, from casinos to fairs, theaters, to festivals, production shows to professional sports arenas. Entertaining audiences in the tens-of- thousands, there can be no doubt that Ryan Pelton is the rarest kind of performer – living up to his billing time and time again.
In 2011 Ryan decided it was time to take his career to the next level when he released his first original album,
“Wash Over Me.” Within a week after the release the album, Pelton was signed as a song writer by a well-known Nashville publishing company.
Shortly thereafter, Pelton was offered the lead role in a Hollywood film called “The Identical.” Ryan took on the
screen name of “Blake Rayne” for the film, which also starred Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, and Seth Green. The film which won the audience choice award for best film at the Nashville Film Festival, opened in the theaters on September 5, 2014. It is currently available on Netflix, as well as other digital media.
Ryan Pelton continues to tour as Elvis under his original name. His entertainment company is launching a new
show called “The Evolution” in 2015. Pelton also continues to pursue his acting career and original music career under the name “Blake Rayne.” The First Original Blake Rayne album will be out later in 2015.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Don’t miss Bucky Covington’s performance on the M&T stage Friday evening July 31 at 9PM. Bucky being the big name entertainment of the 2015 Schuylkill County Fair, sponsored by Schaeffer’s Harley-Davidson/Motor Sports, which runs July 27 through August 1. See him electrify the audience with his onetime only performance.
Bucky Covington is that most remarkable of entertainers—a man known and loved as much for his engaging personality as for his formidable talent. The talent has shone through multiple hit singles that helped push his debut album toward gold status, and will continue to shine with the release of his sophomore album GOOD GUYS on September 11, 2012, with first week sales’ proceeds going to “Help The Good Guys” and the International Association of Fire Fighters. His undeniable likeability and his ability to wear his stardom as comfortably as he wears his jeans are what makes Bucky unique. Both his likeability and talent come together on stage, where the long-haired North Carolinian with the rocker’s charisma and the country boy charm thrills old and new fans alike as he crisscrosses the country.
With his first album, Bucky earned a place in the forefront of a new generation of country singers. He became the best-selling debut artist of the class of 2007, with the best first-week sales and highest Top 200 debut for any male country artist in 15 years. He appeared on Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live and many others, became part of the Country Sings Disney project, and appeared in Hannah Montana: The Movie. Now, with his second, he leaves behind newcomer status and emerges as one of the true standouts in contemporary country music.
His sophomore project reflects the added depth and maturity Bucky brings to the table. Covington has been working very closely with an organization called “Help The Good Guys,” which provides immediate financial relief to injured or fallen firefighters and their families. His newest single from GOOD GUYS, “Drinking Side Of Country,” is a duet with Shooter Jennings, which Covington wrote and produced. GOOD GUYS will also feature several of Covington’s recent radio singles including “I Wanna Be The Feeling.”
“I’ve definitely grown in the past few years,” he says. “I’m a little wiser. I’m more tuned in to the world and what’s going on, and I’m growing as a person. As all of those things affect my life, they’re bound to affect my music.”
“Going into my second album,” he says, “I think it’s something I definitely understand and appreciate even more. You’ve got to pay heed to those who came before you.”
The CD’s debut single, “I Wanna Be That Feeling” represents Bucky at his finest, showcasing a singer bringing true passion to a lyric that offers up a real slice of life as well as the feeling of youthfulness that freedom and love conjures in us all.
Overall, it is a project that sees Bucky more than fulfill the promise of his first, a debut that earned him a generous supply of accolades and milestones.
Kicked off by “A Different World,” which established him out of the chute as a great stylist and launched him into the Top 5, Bucky Covington announced his arrival as a serious contender. Two follow-up Top Ten hits, “It’s Good To Be Us” and “I’ll Walk,” gave audiences a more in-depth view of the lanky troubadour, and made him one of just three male artists since 2005 to score three consecutive Top Ten hits from a debut album.
Bucky has been honing his highly identifiable sound since his earliest days growing up with his mother, stepfather and twin brother Rocky in Laurinburg, North Carolina. His tastes in country music ran to George Strait, Travis Tritt and Tim McGraw, and he began testing his own vocal skills with a karaoke machine early on.
Still, he lived a normal teenage life, spending time on his dirt bike and picking up experience in his father’s body shop. He got a guitar after an album by Canadian singer/guitarist Jeff Healey knocked him out and convinced him to give music a serious try.
He played with rock groups for three years, and then followed his passion into a band playing “Southern Rock, beach and country.” It was called Southern Country and it made him a honky-tonk hero in the area as he packed clubs every weekend.
Friends encouraged him to try Nashville, but when his sister-in-law told him about tryouts for American Idol, he took that route. His striking look and smoky vocals got him into the final 8 and earned him a spot on the Idol tour.
Managers and producers began calling him, but it was a call from Sawyer Brown front man Mark Miller that impressed him.
“A lot of them call you up and talk about the money,” he says. “Mark called me up and talked about music– what kind I wanted to make, what I wanted to do.”
The two have been in musical partnership since then, and after an amazing ride with now shuttered Lyric Street Records, Bucky has joined forces with Entertainment One. Surrounded by a great team and moving into this second album, he has been embraced fully by country fans.
“I did come off a big TV show,” he says, “and at that point you’re huge. You feel like you’re on top of the world. Then you come back to reality and you’re ‘that guy that used to be…’ After that it’s what you make of it, and after three top 10 hits over the past two-and-a-half years, it’s been amazing to be welcomed so big by country radio and the fans.”
These days his professional life is a combination of studio art and concert stage adventure, and the latter is something he relishes as he strives to perfect his craft in venues that range from crowded bars to festival grounds and big-city arenas.
“Some places are a party,” he says. “Some places watch you like a theater show. We work hard to bring our best to both. I have an amazing band. We’re very much high-energy and we talk about every show afterward, looking for the things we can do to make it better.”
His down-home believability, rock star charisma and impressive vocals make the chore more manageable. The rewards of the journey, of course, are major.
“It’s hard to key in on just one thing,” he says, asked to name a highlight of the past three years. “I sat down with Stevie Wonder as he played ‘Superstition’ and I got on stage with Queen. I’ve hung out with Rascal Flatts on the bus and gone dirt bike riding with Craig Morgan. There are so many others, and it’s cooler than I could ever say. Still, the accomplishments really involve the fans. When my album debuted at #1 or I’m nominated for an award, it’s them I have to thank. But the best thing may be when you’re playing a show and the fans sing your song louder than you. It’s hard to beat that.”
His growing maturity quickly takes such talk to another level.
“All of that gives you certain responsibilities,” he says. “There are kids out there that look up to you. Some kids look at performers like they’re Superman, and if you ever saw Superman smoking or drinking you might think that are cool, so that’s not something I need to promote. I do have to be more conscious in what I stand for when a little kid looks up to me. I had a cousin who really looked up to me when I was growing up and that helped me. These days, I look at every kid as my cousin.”
And he maintains that Everyman approachability.
“My fans are the greatest,” he says, “and I’m happy when they ask for a picture or autograph. I figure I owe them that much.”